43 tactics

[Stix]

Hey guys, it's Dec 42 in my GWX campaign and i am really starting to struggle.

My favourite haunts west of brest are alive with DD's and very short of single merchants. I'm having a real hard time getting in to convoys with my IXC with most convoys packing between 4-6 DD's and they are good!. No more sitting at 20m engine stopped until the lead DD passes you, he gets me every time.

West coast of spain is full of French merchants but they are Neutral. The US coast is light on targets and my fuel range (I don't refuel) isn't great for the Caribean.

My last 4 missions have been really poor!

Anyone got any good suggestions on where to head or what to do for 43? was thinking of getting a IXD2 and working the carribean but what about a different theatre or approach?

I'm open to suggestions, different flotilla, boat, tactics?

Stix

[Ducimus]

I think your biggest problem is fuel. I'll make you a little JSGME plugin when i get home from work. It changes the fuel endurance from "13,450 @ 10 kts" to "13,450 @ 10.95 kts." Gives you a some more fuel to play with without straying too far from the boats historical statistics.

[codmander]

Bergan Artic convoys Use the crappy weather to your advantage

[TarJak]

Getting near a convoy is going to be difficult. Try 90 degree shots from around 3000m out from them, if you can get that close!

[Stix]

Originally Posted by TarJak

Getting near a convoy is going to be difficult. Try 90 degree shots from around 3000m out from them, if you can get that close!

With escorts on all 4 sides you have to get "inside" the convoys to attack. Early war in my VII this was no problem but with GWX, mid war and IX i'm finding it very difficult.

Fuel is a big one, i have enough renoun for a IXD2 when they come out. I sunk a lot of capital ships early in the war

I can't even find a tug boat without a DD escort these days though.

Stix

[Ducimus]

Late war you have to sit off on the side at a diagnal to the convoy so you don't get into the lead escorts active sonar cone, and wait for him to pass. Then move inward towards the convoy to avoid the convoys side escort. Sort of a two step process.

[TarJak]

That and stay deep and truly silent. i.e.; less than 2kts. I normally run in at around 60m at 1.5kts then once the forward escort is past creep back to PD and start turning for a 90 degree AOB.

[Stix]

I will try the diagnol approach.

will 60m get me below the sonar? It takes a long time to get to periscope depth from 60m at 1 knot. It might be easier than trying to get in on the diagnol though.

Stix

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by Stix

will 60m get me below the sonar? x

oh no. Far from it. You have to go DEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPP to get under it. The trick is to avoid it laterially.

Heres a little pic i made in MS paint awhile ago.


They grey area is a representation of the active sonar cone. The typically starts pinging when your within his sonar cone and your presenting him with a favoriable aspect. Broadside vs bow or stern on. You dont want to present him your broadside. At any rate AI's best late war active sonar typically has a range up to say 2400 meters. The earlier sonars even less range. Stay outside of that when making your approach and things are going your way. Of coruse one must stay quiet too. The white/non shaded semi circle in said my wonderful MS paint artwork repreesnts his passive sonar. Once your behind him, hes deaf.


At any rate heres the files i said i was going to post for you.

http://www.ducimus.net/sh3/IX_more_Fuel.zip

all it changed was their "range @ 10Kts" to "range @ 10.95 kts". The effect is you get a bit more fuel. Its enough fuel to operate, but not so much that fuel stops being a concern. Grab the files soon, cause im going to pull it off my server in a day or two. I dont want too many loose d/l links pulling bandwidth later on.

[TarJak]

Once you do get inside don't think that they can't hear you because of the noise of the convy either. They will hear you even if you run at 1/3rd speed. (This happens early war also and is the only bugbear I have with the realism of GWX so far). I stay silent at PD until after my first torp hits. Then things usually get moving and they come looking for you.

If you do stay quiet you might get some more time for another shot or two, if they are far enough away but once they know you are there they come looking and will find you. You have to go way deep 140m+ and silent to get away so be prepared on the C key once they know you are around and if that means missing an shot then so be it.

I normally hit the crash dive button once I've emptied my tubes then at aroun 100m I drop to silent and keep diving until I get to around 160m. I don't normally do much in the way of evasion other than if I get a stick of DC's landing near me. Then I scoot to flank make a turn port or starboard away from the DC's for about 25 secs after the last DC then drop back to silent and straight again. Very occasionally I'll get down as far as 180m or 200m but so fare i've only done so a few times as 160m seems to be deep enough to avoid most things they throw at me. (Except Hedgehogs).

[Ducimus]

Personnaly after i shoot my fish, if its late war, ill go to 1/3rd (for a little while to gain momentum) and just start diving the instant the last torpedo leaves the tube. Idea being to start going deep, as quietly as possible before the first torpedo hits, and not ring the dinner bell beforehand. No, i dont get to see my torpedo's hit, and as long as i hear them hit, i really don't care. Can always finish of stragglers later on.

[Stix]

Cheers guys.

Pre 43 i haven't had any problems with convoys, managed to get in to and annhilate many a escorted convoy.

I need to change what i'm doing though now escorts are even more deadly. I'm having a hard time finding targets in 43, all my usual haunts are void of mechants, just lots of DD's and a few heavily escorted convoys that i am really struggling to deal with.

I know i need a new approach now with the deadly DD's and IXC just not sure what ;-)


I got that file cheers Decimus.

Stix

[Jimbuna]

Just one last thing...TarJak and Ducimus have adequately covered the submerged approach but don't go thinking surfaced approaches at night are an easy alternative..............RADAR has an even better range

[Stix]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Just one last thing...TarJak and Ducimus have adequately covered the submerged approach but don't go thinking surfaced approaches at night are an easy alternative..............RADAR has an even better range

Cheers mate.

I guess it's just a matter of try my best and look for targets of opportunity which are very few and far between in 43 :s

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Stix

Cheers mate.

I guess it's just a matter of try my best and look for targets of opportunity which are very few and far between in 43 :s

Yes, the lone merchants get fewer and fewer as the war drags on. One must practice the long shot later on in the war. It was a living hell for the boats in 42-45.